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Paul Stirling has long been recognised as a formidable cricketing talent both in Ireland and beyond. Before his 23rd birthday, he had already hit two ODI centuries against Pakistan. With a natural swagger and belligerence allied to a portly build, Stirling has evoked comparisons with Jesse Ryder. He generates huge power with seemingly little effort and is particularly strong lashing the ball straight or pulling the ball over midwicket.

Born in Belfast, Stirling made his ODI debut at the age of just 17. He played for Ireland in the World Twenty20 in England in 2009, and then signed a three-year contract with Middlesex in December 2009. The following year he gave further notice of his talent by thumping a 134-ball 177 for Ireland against Canada in Toronto - the highest ODI score made by an Irishman. While he struggled in the 2011 World Cup, he ended the tournament with 101 in Ireland's victory against the Netherlands, and a century in Ireland's ODI series against Pakistan in May 2011 had Waqar Younis purring. He added another against the same opponents in Ireland's tie with Pakistan two years later. Stirling also revealed his big match temperament with a pair of blistering innings - 79 off 38 balls and 76 off 43 balls - against Afghanistan in the finals of the World T20 qualifiers in 2012 and 2013.

While Stirling made a fine impression for Middlesex in limited overs cricket, he languished in the second eleven in the Championship. But when he got a chance in 2014, he averaged 43.87 in six games, suggesting that he was capable of managing the transition between the white and red ball. Although he has been troubled by a back injury, which has limited his ability to bowl, Stirling is also a highly competent back-up offspinner. He has frequently bowled his full allocation of overs for Ireland in ODIs and, with 1-45 from ten overs, was Ireland's most economical bowled during their victory over England in Bangalore in the 2011 World Cup.

The most exciting Irish batting prospect since Eoin Morgan, Paul Stirling followed Morgan's footsteps in signing for Middlesex in 2010 but insists he is firmly committed to playing for Ireland. Still only 20, he's already played some eye-catching innings against quality opposition and, displaying little fear in playing his shots, he'll provide Ireland's firepower at the top of the order. Right-handed and with a professed admiration for Ricky Ponting, his free-scoring approach and generous build invokes comparison to Jesse Ryder. He'll take the same combative approach as Ryder, and has the ability to cut any attack apart on his day.

Strengths

Stirling's priceless ability to attack the new ball - often in devastating fashion - will be vital to Ireland's setting of defendable totals.

Key stats

The comparison between Stirling and Morgan is worth exploring further. Both have 23 innings for Ireland to their names, but that's where parity ends, with Stirling ahead in almost every other regard. He's scored more runs, faster, and at a better average than Morgan did, and if he continues to develop, he could be a stalwart of their batting in years to come.

Stirling hit more sixes than any other Ireland player in 2010, and played some devastating innings in the course of the year, not the least of which was a rampaging 177 against Canada in Toronto.

Several of Stirling's better performances in ODIs have been match-winning - and he averages 50.76 in games in which Ireland have won, with four half-centuries and a hundred.

World Cup tracker

This will be Stirling's first senior World Cup, but he's been on Ireland's books since the age of 12 and has played in two Under-19 tournaments, in 2007-08 and 2009-10. He made a 50-ball 72 against a New Zealand attack containing Tim Southee in the warm-ups to the 2008 event, and followed that up with 114 against the United States of America and a 50-ball 65 in a seven-wicket thrashing of Zimbabwe in 2010.

Expert view

"a precocious, hard hitting opening batsman who will try and get Ireland off to a flyer. He gave the Australians a glimpse of what he is capable off last summer, and had he stayed at the crease for a short while longer the result could have been very different. There have always been question marks about his fitness levels, however he has trained incredibly hard and is in the best shape of his life. A potential match winner - he could also play a role with his off-spinners."- Kyle McCallan, former Ireland allrounder

Andrew McGlashan

Best Performances

177 v Canada, Toronto, 2010

His majestic innings against Canada made quite a statement and set up a comfortable win.

52 and 2 for 40 v Bangladesh, Stormont, 2010

He also showed his allround value in the seven-wicket win over Bangladesh some months earlier, taking two wickets with his offspin and adding a fluent fifty to hasten the victory.